Can a water market avert the “double-whammy” of trade reform and lead to a “win–win” outcome?

This paper focuses on the linkages between water and trade policies, using Morocco as a case. This country is typical of many in that policy protects its import competing agricultural and industrial sectors while water in irrigated agriculture is priced below its marginal value product. Changing water policy without correcting for these other distortions leads to a more inefficient allocation of water. On the other hand, reforming trade policy alone can make farmers growing crops protected pre-reform worse off. Using an intertemporal, applied general equilibrium model, we find that trade reform actually creates an opportunity to pursue water policy reform. Creating a water user-rights market post trade reform not only compensates for the decline in farmers’ profits caused by the trade reform, but also raises the efficiency of water allocation and hence benefits the economy as a whole.     

An “effluent” charge approach to aircraft noise abatement

This paper is concerned with the control of aircraft noise. Some brief remarks are made on the relationship of aircraft noise problems to the theoretical approaches to externalities. We note in particular that an effluent charge is the most practical way to deal with the problem. A linear programming technique is used to find the bundle of noise-reducing options that minimizes the cost of achieving noise reduction goals, given an upper limit on service reduction. A rate-of-return criterion is imposed on the l.p. solution. Shadow prices are used to generate charges on the airlines. This provides a stimulus for abatement without dictating actual methods. Implicit in the cost parameters are prices of aircraft fuel. We assess the attractiveness of the abatement options with increasing fuel prices. The mechanics of the actual implementation of the charge in the airline industry is examined. We conclude that the institution of a plan such as the one proposed here will provide control of aircraft noise in a socially efficient manner.     

A review of: “Waste Treatment and Disposal”

Ed. R. E. Hester and R. M. Harrison, Publ. Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge, 1995, Isbn 0-85404-210-5, 158pp. Price £15.00.     

A review of: “Toxic Impacts On the Aquatic Environment”

Edited By J. F. Tapp, J. R. Wharfe and S. M. Hunt, Royal Society of Chemistry, Isbn 0-85404-781-6. Price $49.50, 1996. Pages 295, Index, Figures and Tables.     

A review of: “Lead in Soil: Recommended Guidelines”

1993 (Ed). B.G. Wixson and B. E. Davies, Publ. Society for Enivronmental Geochemistry and Health, Science and Technology Letters Ltd., Northwood, Uk, 132pp., Isbn 0-905927-39-7, £ 30. Hardback.     

Optimal Environmental Health Regulations with Heterogeneous Populations: Treatment versus “Tagging”

In this paper, we develop a model of population level environmental health risk with individuals that are heterogeneous in their susceptibility to environmental toxins. This framework allows us to determine when it is optimal to target vulnerable subgroups of the population with special exposure-reducing treatments. Our analytic results show that the potential economic gains from targeted policies will depend critically on the quality of existing capital, the degree of returns to scale in treatment technologies, and the size and sensitivity of the vulnerable population. An empirical application of the model is extended to the case of cryptosporidium in drinking water supplies.     

Do Contingent Valuation Estimates Pass a “Scope” Test? A Meta-analysis

This paper considers the scope test proposed to judge the internal consistency of contingent valuation estimates. The test is shown to be quite sensitive to the maintained hypotheses required to derive fairly precise expectations for the properties of WTP functions, and, therefore, a different approach may be needed in gauging the reliability of CV. This paper describes an approach that relies on a weight-of-the-evidence criterion and uses meta-analysis to develop a systematic appraisal of what the economic values of changes in amenity resources are. The approach is illustrated for the case of estimating people's willingness to pay for improving (or maintaining) visibility at the national parks.     

Notes on the Distribution of “Black Spot” Shell Disease in Crustacean Fisheries

“Black Spot” a necrotic shell disease in crustacea, is a naturally occurring condition in crabs (Cancer pagurus) and is more common in older animals, where the moult frequency is reduced. The results of field observations in various commercial crab fisheries suggest that the incidence of “Black Spot” shell disease is higher in lightly fished populations (e.g. S. W. Ireland) than in established fisheries, where intensive exploitation results in the removal of larger (older) crabs from the stock. These observations are used to explain suggestions by other workers that the incidence of shell necrosis is high in areas used for dumping sewage sludge where fishing intensity is low.     

G. Howells (Book Review) On “Biology of Freshwater Pollution”

C. F. Mason, Third Edition, Longman, Harlow, Essex, Isbn 0-582-24732-2. Price $22.99; Pp. 356. Index to General Terms, to Genera and Species, and Reference List to 740 Sources.     

Editorial board page for “Chemistry and Ecology”, Volume 14, Number 2

This is a scanned image of the original Editorial Board page(s) for this issue.     

Editorial board page for “Chemistry and Ecology”, Volume 15, Number 4

This is a scanned image of the original Editorial Board page(s) for this issue.     

Editorial board page for “Chemistry and Ecology”, Volume 17, Number 4

This is a scanned image of the original Editorial Board page(s) for this issue.     

A review of: “Biogenic Trace Gases: Measuring Emissions From Soil and Waters”

P. A. Matson and R. C. Harriss, Publ. Blackwell Science, Printed University Press, Cambridge, Price $26.50 (Paperback), 394 Pp., 70 Figures, 15 Tables, References and Index. Isbn 0-632-03641-9.     

A review of: “Engineering Risk Analysis of Water Pollution. Probabilities and Fuzzy Sets”

J.G. Genoulis, VCH mbH, Wernheim, Frg, 1994. xi + 306pp. ISBN 3-527-30050-3 Price 136 Dm     

Compensation for “Meaningful Participation” in Climate Change Control: A Modest Proposal and Empirical Analysis

The debate over an international climate change regime has thus far focused primarily on efficiency concerns in developed countries. This paper suggests a means by which equity concerns may be addressed in the ongoing negotiations. A system of transfers is developed that is motivated by the difference between the damage caused by a country and the damage suffered by that country as a result of climate change. Illustrative calculations of the magnitude and direction of these transfers are made. We find that in general transfers flow from temperate to tropical countries but that the degree of uncertainty associated with these calculations is very large.     

A review of: “Agricultural Chemicals and the Environment Issues in Environmental Science and Technology”

5, 1996 Ed. Hester, R. E. and Harrison, R. M., Royal Society of Chemistry, Isbn 0 85404 220 2, Pp Xii + 128, $ 17-50.